Kensal Green Cemetery

Kensal Green is one of the «Magnificent Seven» private cemeteries in London with Highgate probably being the most famous of them all. Kensal Green has been neglected by comparison but is definitely catching up.
Apparently all the plots were sold in the 18^th and 19^th Century at a one-​off cost (rather than annual subscription), and the Friends of Kensal Green have been trying to locate surviving members of those families for the last few years. Most plots are now very well tended and no longer provide shelter for the homeless.
It is lovely to stumble across picnics celebrated near gravestones — I love how those London burial grounds are anything but morbid. Not even the catacombs which are included in guided tours once a month. Best check the website though as there was talk of renovation on my last visit.
Perhaps not quite as high profile as Highgate, but there are still quite a few well known names to be found. Mind you, my fascination with Kensal Green is the chance of a peaceful walk through London’s history — a truly beautiful place.

A great day out as long as the weather is reasonable. Take a picnic! Unlike many other Cemeteries and other landmarks in London it is FREE to visit, though of course it costs money to care for it. So if you visit please do I buy the Guide Book which lists the famous people buried and cremated here. That way Kensal Green can keep the entrance free :-) Wear sensible shoes, though the walking is quiet easy along the gravel drives and grassy paths. As with all outdoor sights, remember to take a waterproof coat or brolly! And don’t forget your camera!

Beautiful Cemetery with some fine monuments. Walk around on a nice day and take a picnic as you want past stunning mausoleum after another wonderful mausoleum. Some of the statues are stunning and it is as has previously been said a photographer’s dream. The setting works well in Black and White. The contrast of the elegance of the sculpture can be used against the linear angles of the ‘gas works’ clearly visible from most of the cemetery. Some monuments are in disrepair and indeed in places the wildlife is taking president because it is a site of great significance to wildlife in London. Well worth visiting for those into The Pink Fairies, and other underground hands including Hawkwind is the grave of Steve Peregrin Took who was originally Marc Bolan’s partner in Tyrannosaurus Rex, before they parted company when Took asked to do as Tony Visconti said some of my songs now Marc. To be fair to Bolan who wanted fame, Took was a radical preferring benefit gigs and life as a legend within the Ladbroke Underground Community to commercial success with all the pressure it brought many people before and indeed after Marc Bolan. Also highly recommended is the Friends of Kensal Green web site and the open day in early July when you can delight to Vampires and people in period costume ‘popping up’ here and there, proving that just becuase the place is for the dead, it shouldn’t be without a little ‘black humour’ too. I’m sure many of the residents enjoy it too!

This is a beautiful property, maintained better than Highgate, but still a bit ratty in areas. There are quite a few beautiful monuments, tombs, chapels and even an underground burial chamber (catacomb), that I was lucky enough to go on a day when they were giving a tour. Founded in 1832 and housing about 250,000 individuals with 65,000 graves this place deserves at least a few hours of time. There are loads of famous writers, poets and artists of all mediums here… Including one of my favorite artist John William Waterhouse (The Lady of Shallot, Ophelia).

One of the «magnificent 7» victorian cemeteries in london and along with highgate possibly the most interesting. Features lots of famous corpses including authors, painters, playwrights and even royalty many of the tombs and mausoleums are spectacular works of victorian gothic art and this location has i’m sure been featured in various works of popular culture (I’m specifically thinking of the vincent price film «Theatre of Blood» and of the sleeve artwork for the album «Phantasmagoria» by the damned) well worth a visit if you appreciate this kind of thing.

El cementerio de Kensal Green está situado junto a la calle Harrow Road de Londres, entre las estaciones de Ladbroke Grove y Kensal Rise (más cerca de esta última).
Construido a imitación de Pere Lachaise en París, este camposanto es posiblemente uno de los más bellos ejemplos de escultura y arquitectura mortuoria en el Reino Unido.
Ya queramos satisfacer nuestro espíritu romántico o buscar la tumba de algún artista o escritor favorito, Kensal Green es un lugar inolvidable. Repleto de impresionantes tumbas neogóticas, estatuas de ángeles y cruces célticas, el verde crece entre las tumbas y, tras los muros, transcurre el idílico canal, con su tranquilo paseo que ciclistas y viandantes disfrutan los días de verano.
Existen visitas guiadas gratuitas que una asociación de aficionados realiza una o dos veces al mes, según la temporada; pero pasear en pareja en silencio es un placer que nos llenará de asombro –y de cierto nerviosismo si somos algo asustadizos-​. La entrada es totalmente gratuita, pero hay que estar atentos a los horarios, ¡no vayáis a quedaros encerrados!
Los amantes de la fotografía tienen también una cita obligada con este antiguo cementerio.
Si tenéis ánimo, tratad de encontrar las tumbas de algunas de las celebridades decimonónicas que aquí se hayan enterradas: Ward, Waterhouse, Wilkie Collins, Leigh Hunt, Thackeray…

Kensal Green Cemetery is an eerily gothic graveyard; expansive and isolated. There is a peace among the dead quite like any other. Take time to read the inscriptions on the tombstones and you will be struck by the history and the beauty of their derelict state. Great spot for long walks and for photography.

This is one of the Magnificent Seven Victorian Cemeteries built in the Victorian era.
They were built to alleviate the local Church cemeteries that were at the point of overflowing. People were being buried so close to the surface that it was not uncommon after heavy rain for bodies to need reburial. So to stop this it was decided to build these cemeteries. However once they were full the Companies that built them went bust and they fell into disrepair. This gave the wildlife a chance to thrive and now they are major areas for local wildlife.
This is a well kept place and has many interesting and famous people buried here. There are tours once a month of the Catacombs and the Guide is well versed on the history of both the Catacombs and the grounds.
Well worth a visit.

When a friend said lets go for a walk, I was obviously all for it. Who wouldn’t be? It was a lovely day. But around a cemetery? I was pretty skeptical to say the least but all that was quickly wiped away upon arrival. Beautiful, peaceful (obviously) and very traditionalit could do with a little renovation — the grass was knee high in some areas — but other than that, it’s a surprisingly lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. However, I imagine this review would read quite differently if it had been p*ssing it down on a Monday morning

The greats are laid to rest at Kensal Green, from princes to famous authors, alongside everyday people. Without sounding morose, I love to walk through this cemetery. It is steeped in history and stretches all the way from Scrubs Lane to Ladbroke Grove. It feels like a secret place, with lots of hidden meanings and amazing gravestones to discover (a fantastic place for artists). There is a tour the first Sunday of every month that takes in the catacombs. I am yet to take the tour but certainly will in the near future. Apart from it’s history, and famous ‘residents’, there are great contemplative walks to be had here, and also I’m told, an ideal place for bird watching in London, as they seem to thrive here.

Sehr schöner, ruhiger Friedhof in London. Bei Sonnenschein sehr schöné Fotomotive.
Jeden Sonntag um 14h gibt es Führungen. Jeden ersten und dritten Sonntag wird auch die Katakomben unter der «Anglican Chapel» besichtigt.
Mit der Tube nach Kensal Green, aus dem Bahnhof links raus, dann an der Kreuzung rechts. Auf der linken Seite ist einer der Eingänge. Tube Zone 2.
Der Pfeil auf der GoogleMap ist falsch, der Friedhof ist etwas weiter rechts unten, etwa in Höhe der «Hazel Rd.»